About Time
by ShipMistress
Summary: Just another Modern/College AU of how my OTP gets together. \ (ツ) / Nothing but fluff.
1. Chapter 1

**As I said, just another fluffy Hiccstrid College AU. It's inspired, as so often, by a song, though just one line of lyrics this time and the rest of the song doesn't fit at all. I might say more about that at the end of this story. Now, it would be a spoiler ;P **

**. o O o .**

"Hey, Hiccup."

Hiccup looked up from his book as Justin's voice echoed toward him. He sat in his favourite spot on campus, a broad rock formation near where the rivulet fell down a metre or two in some kind of waterfall. The landscape was all artificial, of course, but he still liked it here.

"Hey, Justin. Scott," he greeted his two friends as they came closer. "What's up?"

"I wanted to ask you something," Justin gasped, his chubby face red even from just the small hike through the park. "It's about tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? What about it?"

"You do remember that we all wanted to go to the cinema, right?" Scott asked with a small smirk, his eyes flickering to the book in Hiccup's lap.

Hiccup rolled his eyes and closed the book, but only after tugging the bookmark in place. "Of course, I remember," he replied sourly. It had only happened _once_ that he'd missed an appointment because he'd gotten stuck in a book. Or… three times at the most.

"Yeah, well, I wanted to ask whether we should pick you up, too. Heather and I are heading in your direction anyway to pick up Scott; it wouldn't even be much of a detour."

Hiccup's face cleared. "Ah, I see. Thanks, but no, thanks. I already promised to pick up Astrid after work. We'll meet you guys at the cinema."

At that, Scott's smirk grew even wider, one eyebrow raised. "When will you two finally admit that you're dating? Seriously, it's not as if it can get any more obvious."

"We're _not_ dating, Scott!" Hiccup insisted, his cheeks turning warm. "How many times do I have to tell you? We're just friends."

"Yeah, sure. That's why you wait here nearly every day until her courses are finished. Because you're just friends. I totally believe you."

Again, Hiccup rolled his eyes at Scott's dry tone. "Yes," he explained for the umpteenth time, sighing. "Because her workplace is practically right next to where I live. And it's either I wait here for half an hour and drive her there, or she has to take public transport, which would take her nearly two hours she'd have to work longer afterwards. What friend would I be if I wasn't willing to make such a small sacrifice?"

Snorting, Scott shook his head. "If that's what you insist upon. Suit yourself." He turned and walked away, muttering to himself.

"Eh, sorry about that," Justin muttered with a grimace. "I think he and Minden just broke up again today, so he's in a bad mood. Don't worry, tomorrow he'll be better again."

Hiccup snorted out a laugh as he waved after Justin. The relationship drama between Scott and Minden had become a running joke by now. If they didn't break up at least once a week, something felt off.

He returned his attention back to his book, the second part of a book series about were dragons, until another, much more pleasant voice interrupted him again.

"Hey, Hiccup. Thank you so much for waiting again. What would I do without you?"

As always, Astrid's voice brought a grin to his face. Quickly, he put away his book and got up, just in time for her to reach and hug him. "It's no big deal, Milady. Really, I don't mind at all."

She gave him a warm smile at the use of his usual nickname for her, and it made his heart flutter. Damned be Scott and his stupid comments! Because it wasn't as if Hiccup wouldn't _want_ for him and Astrid to be more than friends. She was smart, witty, and funny, strong and beautiful, and he was fully aware of the severe crush he'd developed for her by now. But it was just that, just a one-sided crush. She certainly didn't feel the same or she would have said something by now. And what would she like in him anyway? He was just a dorky nerd with glasses, a prosthetic leg, and an obsession for engineering and dragons.

For a second, his smile turned a little melancholic as he shouldered his bag. When they walked to where he'd parked his car that morning though, chatting amiably, it had already turned back to being genuine. Having Astrid as his best friend wasn't bad at all, and if he sometimes dreamed of holding her tighter than just a friendly hug, of letting his hands glide beneath her shirt, and of tasting those soft pink lips of hers – well, then that was his problem.

**. o O o .**

**Just a first short shapter to this miniseries. Three chapters planned, 2,5 already written. ^^**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: On we go with this little short story. Chapter three is already drafted by now, so it shouldn't take too long to update. ^^**

**To Dita: ... What do you mean, where did I find this? I wrote it. That's usually why people upload here ;) **

**. o O o .**

With a sigh, Astrid stretched, arms raised high up and behind her head, and gave her work a satisfied once-over. All shelves were orderly stacked, all boxes and cartons stowed away as they were supposed to be. The days on which new goods for Gobber's store arrived were always busy, but today she'd managed the load in record time.

"Is there anything else to do?" she called over to where she heard her boss rummaging in his office.

There was a grunt, the sound of something – probably a head – banging against wood, and an unashamed curse before she got a reply.

"Yer finished already?" Gobber asked clearly surprised as he appeared in the shop's main room. "Yer pure th' best assistant ah ever hired, lass. An' nae, those were th' lest fer the day. Ah expected ye tae be quicker today wi' how you'd mentioned some date wi' yer friends, but still..." He shook his head with something of a bewildered smile and then shrugged. "Either way, that's yer all dain fer the day. Enough time left fer yer date, I'd ken, and…" He disappeared into his office again, but only to return a second later with an envelope in his hand. "Here, Ah meant tae gie ye this a while back already. Fer a bonus, a thank ye, or a birthday gift, whatever suits ye. Thought ye going out today would be a guid occasion." He looked a little flustered as he handed her the envelope, his prosthetic hand scratching the back of his head before he disappeared back into his office again.

With a bemused smile, Astrid looked from the envelope to the empty doorway and back again. Her boss occasionally acted weird, but this was still odd, even for him. But she also knew him well enough to know that trying to get some more information out of him now wouldn't work, so she went to grab her bag and jacket from the backroom and then left. She really was done far earlier than usual, and she contemplated driving back to her dorm instead of calling Hiccup to pick her up. If every bus and train was punctual, she'd even have enough time to take a shower instead of just quickly changing on his back seats as she'd planned.

Fishing for her phone to tell Hiccup that he wouldn't have to pick her up, she opened the envelope Gobber had given her with her free hand. She'd expected something of a small tip in addition to her usual salary, but froze when she saw what was inside. Halting in the middle of the walkway, she pulled out the envelope's content, just to be sure. It was a whole _bundle_ of notes, easily a third of her usual monthly salary. Stunned, she gaped at the money, about to turn and thank Gobber for real. But he wouldn't appreciate that kind of sentimental gesture, so she stayed where she was and instead just honoured his gift by genuinely being happy.

When she'd finally found her phone though, she paused, finger hovering over Hiccup's name in her contacts. _Not_ spending even the short amount of time in his car with him seemed like losing a lot after this gift. She would never admit it out loud, but being alone with him always were the best minutes of the day. More than once, she'd contemplated to ask him out for a date, but even though there wasn't much that intimidated her, this did.

Not because Hiccup himself was intimidating, but… Odin, he was so _rich._ His father was the city's mayor, practically out of custom by now with how long he held the job. Thanks to his father's money, Hiccup didn't need to suffer a small room in an uncomfortable dorm, to use annoying public transportation, or to work to pay for his tuition. And over the years they'd been friends now, she'd watch _many_ girls trying to date him simply because he could afford to buy them pretty gifts.

And that was _not_ what Astrid wanted!

She didn't want to come across like just another one of those fortune hunters, but even more than that, she wanted to provide for herself. She didn't want to end up like one of those women who were merely pretty adornments at their husbands' arms, unable to pay for anything unless _he_ gave them the money. That was why she was working so hard for her degree, why she was aiming to get a good job on her own. To pay her own bills and to not have to _ask_ if she wanted to buy something else. It wasn't like she actually believed Hiccup was like that, as if he would want to control her through money, but still. Letting him drive her around regularly was bad enough, she didn't want him to pay for even more. And he would, wouldn't he? Not to reduce her but simply because he could afford it.

Chewing her lower lip, her eyes lingered on the money in her hand. If she was prudent, she'd put it aside for a later day when she would need it. But maybe… maybe she could use it for another purpose. An experiment. Something to ease her mind…

Quickly, before she could change her mind, she pressed the button to call Hiccup. But instead of calling their earlier meeting off, she'd–

_"Hiccup Haddock?"_ came his voice from the other end of the line, and Astrid swallowed. Now or never.

"Hey, Hiccup. It's me, Astrid," she replied cheerfully. "I'm already done for today, and..."

She hesitated for only a moment, but it was enough for Hiccup to finish her sentence. _"... and so you don't need me to come and get you?"_ Was it only her wishful thinking or did he really sound disappointed?

"Actually, no, that wasn't what I wanted to say," she said, chuckling in slight embarrassment. "I… well, since I have so much more time before we're supposed to meet with the others, I wanted to ask you… whether you'd want to go out and eat dinner with me? I invite you. How about pizza at Carlo's?"

There was a second or three of silence in which Astrid dug her fingernails into her palms so hard that it hurt. What if he said no? What if he only saw her as a friend, wasn't interested in her like that at all? A million different thoughts crossed her mind before Hiccup answered, making her heartbeat as if it wanted to jump out of her chest.

"Uhm… Sure, I-I'd love to," he chuckled shakily. "But, erm, isn't it a bit early?"

Astrid glanced at her watch and muffled a low curse. Oh, Odin, why hadn't she thought of that before? "Uh, right it is. I-I didn't…"

Again, there was a moment of silence, but an uncomfortable and embarrassing one this time. Astrid's didn't know how to react, wasn't sure whether he brought this up because it was the truth or simply because he didn't want to go out with her.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ she chided herself, her lip quivering. Her only comfort was that she didn't need to face him directly. She dreaded taking the bus with so many people around, but it was better than being around him after this rejection. And she could always cancel their date at the cinema by claiming she felt sick or something. Yeah, that was good, that would–

_"But… how about I pick you up and we stay here at my place? We could chat a bit until Carlo opens."_

Astrid's heart made a painful jump at his words. So it had just been the bad timing after all? "Yeah, that's a good idea," she agreed without thinking, her lips stretched into a wide grin. Again, she was glad that he couldn't see her right now.

_"All right! Give me five minutes and I'll be there. See you."_

He'd hung up before she could even reply, and at first, Astrid could do nothing but grin like an idiot. Absentmindedly, she stowed away her phone and the cash before she settled to wait for Hiccup. He'd probably walk here to pick her up; his flat was really close by as far as she knew and–

Only then did it hit her. He'd invited her _to his flat?!_ For a moment, she went pale, her fingers shaking. That had _not_ been what she'd planned! She'd wanted to go out on, maybe, potentially, possibly, something like a date, and not directly to _go home with him._

_But this is different_, she calmed herself. Hiccup wasn't that kind of guy who lured girls into his flat to right out seduce them. Or worse. He genuinely was a great guy, a friend. She could spend some time with a friend at his place, right? Unaffected of what else she might or might not feel for him or how this day might or might not end or where it would lead them. Right, there was no need to panic now.

By the time Hiccup arrived, she'd efficiently calmed down again; enough to greet him with a hug as she always did without blushing and to chat lightly on their way back to his flat.

"You're done quite early today," he noticed with a soft smile as they waited at a crossroad for the traffic lights to turn green. "Was there that little to do? I thought uncle Gobber got new goods today."

"_Uncle_ Gobber?" Astrid's forehead wrinkled in confusion. "I didn't know you were related."

Humming in slight embarrassment, he adjusted his glasses, such a typical gesture on him. "Ah, we're not. Not _really._ But he's an old family friend, and when I grew up, he was something of an honorary uncle to me."

She nodded, understanding. "Ah, I see. But yes, he got new goods today. I was just faster than expected in working through them, stowing them away and labelling them and all… Guess I was motivated to be done in time," she added with a small smile.

"Sounds sensible. Even though I didn't know you were _that_ eager to watch this movie tonight."

Astrid slightly averted her face to hide her reaction. She hadn't been eager to watch the movie, some action-comedy-mix. It should be interesting enough, sure, but her main reason not to miss it had been because she'd wanted to spend time with her friends. With one in particular.

"Apparently, I was," she replied noncommittally in an attempt to play it down. "I didn't even notice how time flew by, even though some of these boxes were _heavy_. Not surprising with all those mechanical parts, but still."

Chuckling, Hiccup opened the door to his flat and let her in first. "Yeah, I used to help him out over one summer when his assistant of that time had left him hanging. I vividly remember how sweaty I always was afterwards. Which reminds me… We still have some time left; if you want, you can take a shower before you change. The bathroom is all yours."

Upon entering Hiccup's flat, Astrid had listened to his words with only half an ear, too intrigued by finally seeing how he lived. Somehow, she'd expected some kind of typical bachelor's loft, with only few but expensive furniture, a shiny kitchen that never got used, and a gigantic TV screen at one end of the one big room. What she found was quite the opposite though; a small entrance room, the walls plastered with what she recognised as Hiccup's own drawings, and with a couple of doors leading into other rooms. She could look into what appeared to be the kitchen and the living room, and both rooms we packed full of stuff but without it being actually _untidy_. His last word, however, fully caught her attention again.

"Uh, w-what?"

Hiccup, who'd apparently noticed too late what exactly he'd said, blushed. "Erm, that's… only if you want to, of course. Not that you _have _to; I'm not trying to say you _need_ a shower. Just… just in case you want to, you know, freshen up a bit. Up to you. I-I'm not trying to be a pervert, honest, and you can lock the room from the inside. I'll just… I'll be in the kitchen, preparing some tea and… and you can… uh… yeah…"

Still stammering more incoherent nonsense, he dug into his kitchen and left Astrid standing where she was. She probably _should_ go after him and reassure him that she didn't believe him to be a pervert and that she was actually grateful for the offer after the initial surprise had waned. But she was too flustered herself to face him right now, so she gladly took the opportunity to gather her wits again. Taking a shower actually sounded fantastic, so after a moment's hesitation, she looked around the entrance room. There were three other doors that were all closed, probably leading to his bedroom, his office, and the bathroom. Unwilling to go and ask, she opened the one closest by – and froze.

Behind the door, she'd clearly found Hiccup's bedroom; the walls were again covered in drawings, but she didn't pay them much attention. Instead, her eyes were glued to the orderly made bed that took up most of the small but comfortable-looking room, with some dragon covers and two cushions on it, and she couldn't help but think about how wonderful it would be to crawl under those covers and deeply inhale–

_Oh, stop it, dammit!_ She shook her head almost violently, determined to shake that thought off before it could take root. Yes, she'd decided to kinda ask Hiccup out on a date, but she had yet to see how that would go, how he would behave. It was _way_ too early to daydream about spending her nights in his bed, for Freya's sake!

Huffing in exasperation, she pulled the door closed again and luckily found the bathroom behind the next one. Closing that one behind her too, she decided on a whim to _not_ lock it. On the one hand, she trusted Hiccup not to peep or even try something else, and on the other hand… If she secretly _hoped_ he'd come to join her under the hot spray, to feel his large artist's hands on her skin and his lips on hers – well, then that was her problem.


	3. Chapter 3

**Right, so here's the final chapter to this mini-story. I honestly don't know what to think of it, but at least it's done? It feels pretty cheesy and stupid to me, but then, that's true for pretty much everything I write lately. *sigh***

**. o O o .**

_If Scott hears about this,_ Hiccup thought idly as he threw a hidden glance at Astrid checking the dessert menu. _Then I'll never hear the end of it_.

But no matter how much Scott might tease him – and no matter how much Hiccup might _wish_ for it – this was no date. Just two friends hanging out, chatting, and having fun. And it had been _great_ so far. After his stupid slip up about inviting her to get naked in his flat, he'd managed to not embarrass himself again and be the polite host and good friend he usually was. There had been fresh tea and snacks when she'd joined him in his living room after taking a shower, and if her still slightly damp hair and flushed cheeks had made him blush too, then she at least hadn't seemed to notice.

No, all in all, he really couldn't complain about this afternoon with her; it had been filled with teasing and joking, just the same light banter as usual with the occasional more serious topic in between. And by now, he was actually sad that it was almost time to meet the others at the cinema. He'd quite enjoyed this not-date with only her.

"Mmh, I think I'll have tiramisu," Astrid announced to the waiting waiter, then threw Hiccup an inquiring look.

"And raspberry panna cotta for me," he added and handed his menu back with a polite smile.

The waiter nodded. "I'll be back with your orders in a minute."

Once he was out of earshot, Astrid smirked. "Good thing he'll be back soon, or else we might be too late for the movie after all."

Chuckling, Hiccup shook his head at her. They still had more than enough time left, which was why they'd opted for dessert in the first place. "What, have you changed your eating habits?" he asked teasingly. "I mean, I've _seen_ you practically inhale that pizza just now, and don't get me started on the cake I made a couple of weeks ago."

"Ahh, that triple chocolate cake…" she all but moaned, her eyes fluttering shut at the memory. "You've _got_ to make that one again soon. It was _delicious!"_

Her nearly indecent noise had made him swallow, but her praises soon were enough to focus on something at least a little more decent then how to make her do that noise again. "If that's what Milady wants, I shall comply," he replied overly formal, even indicated something of a bow, and was more than happy to see her laugh.

"So, are you my personal chef now? That sounds like an idea I could get used to."

_Oh, me too!_ he added mentally, but quickly fought that thought down again. If he could, he'd cook every day for her…

Once their dessert arrived, Astrid tore into it with just as much gusto as he'd expected. It really was amazing what regular visits to the gym and working at a mechanics shop could do to a person's appetite. When her dessert was gone, she threw a measuring look at his, biting her lower lip in such a cute way that Hiccup couldn't help but smile.

"If you want, I wouldn't mind sharing this," he said, pushing the bowl a little in her direction.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty full already. Will probably forego popcorn later, too."

It was the truth, but sharing his dessert with her was something he would have done anyway.

A few minutes later, the waiter came to take their empty bowls, asked whether they'd liked their desserts, and asked if he could bring them something else.

"Only the bill," Astrid replied cheerfully. "We still have plans for tonight!"

Her reply made Hiccup's lips twitch. What would the waiter make of such a comment?

Out of reflex, he reached for his wallet when the man returned with the bill, but paused in his movement when Astrid waved him off. "I'll take over the bill today. You're invited, remember?"

Right, she'd said something like that earlier… Still, Hiccup's first instinct was to protest nonetheless. He certainly had enough money to invite her instead, or at least to pay his own part of the bill, especially with how tight she usually was on the money. But then he remembered _who_ sat across from him.

Astrid Hofferson was not one for stupid boasting. She knew what she wanted, and when she wanted to pay for his meal today _despite_ knowing that she didn't have to, then he would respect her decision.

"Thank you," he said with a genuine smile after they'd left the restaurant and headed back to his car.

Astrid's smile turned noticeably warmer, her eyes shining s few shades brighter. "You're more than welcome!"

However, on the drive to the cinema, she was oddly quiet for once, and Hiccup was a little worried if he should have protested after all. Well, he could still take over paying for her ticket now, in case she let him. And then apologise some more later; he even contemplated baking that favourite cake of hers over the weekend to surprise her on Monday. He just hoped that he hadn't offended her in any way and that she eventually would tell him if something was off.

When they'd reached the parking lot, however, it seemed as if he didn't need to wait another couple of days to learn what was bothering her. He'd walked around the car, ready to head up to the illuminated cinema in the distance, when she suddenly reached for his hand and held him back. Hiccup turned, puzzled but also a little anxious. She didn't say anything though, only held his hand tight and looked up at him with her lip tucked between her teeth and a flicker of insecurity in her eyes.

And then, she stretched and before Hiccup knew what was happening, she was kissing him.

At first, he was frozen in surprise, too stunned to process what was happening. But as soon as her lips were moving against his, slow but sure, he found the nerves to kiss her back. Hesitantly, he moved a little closer, his lips sliding along hers. He could feel her smile against his mouth, and a low humming vibrated through them both without Hiccup being able to determine who it was coming from.

Was this real? He felt es if he was dreaming, afraid he might wake up any moment now. Gods, he'd dreamed about kissing her so often…

But he didn't wake up, not when her hands curled around his neck and face to pull him closer, deeper, and not when his wrapped around her waist to do the same. The moment was just building and building, their kiss intensifying until they had to part in order to breathe.

"What's this?" he asked, murmured into the tiny space between them with their forehead resting against each other. He was afraid to ruin the mood with those stupid words, but he couldn't help himself. He needed to know…

Astrid chuckled softly. "I don't know yet." she sighed. "But I've thought about this for so long, and I got tired of just thinking." She hesitated, and then added, "Is… is this okay for you?"

Hiccup couldn't help the shaky laugh that escaped him. She'd thought about this? About kissing him? About _them?_

_Gods, please don't let this be a dream!_

He retreated to be able to look at her, to meet her beautiful blue eyes, so dark in the upcoming night. "I'm okay with this," he whispered. _"More_ than okay! But… _what _is this?

Again, she chuckled. "Whatever you want it to be?" She paused, her gaze becoming more intently. "I like you, Hiccup. I don't really know what this is or what it will become, but… But I'd like to try."

Slowly, he reached up to caress her face, carefully, still afraid she might resolve into mist at any moment. "I'm okay with that," he mumbled. "Because… I like you too."

He wasn't sure who started it then, who pulled who closer. All he knew was that a moment later they were kissing again, and this time, neither seemed willing to stop again, the sensation of actually, really, truly holding her like this overwhelming. This wasn't the first time he was kissing someone, not by far, but he'd still never kissed anyone like this, with such hunger and eagerness. It was wonderful, her warmth beneath his hands, the scent of mayweed and sandalwood – her shampoo and his shower gel – and hearing nothing but their little gasps and the nearby street. His lips parted when she let her tongue glide over them, his hands becoming bolder and roaming up and down her sides when hers did the same on his back, keeping him close. Time lost all meaning to him as they kissed, as he was finally able to be that close to her after all the months of pining. He never wanted to stop again.

However, reality eventually caught up with them again. The flashlights of a car passing by reminded him of where they were and that they'd actually had a plan for today. During a quieter moment, with just hands caressing and lips softly sliding over skin, he whispered in a raspy voice, "We should get up there. I bet the others are waiting for us, or maybe the movie even already started."

But Astrid didn't seem to be inclined to leave their cosy bubble.

"Screw the movie!"

Laughing quietly to himself, Hiccup didn't resist as she pulled him into yet another kiss. She was right, after all; it wasn't as if he was _that_ keen on watching the film – or _wanted _to go and meet the others right now. What would they even tell them? Besides, making out here in the parking lot was _so_ worth missing any movie. Especially when she tugged his shirt out of his trousers and let her hand glide beneath, roaming over heated skin. A low groan rumbled through him as she licked at the inside of his cheek, and pulled him even closer still until nothing but a few layers of clothes were between them and she was pinned between him and his car behind her.

Their interactions quickly turned more heated then, panted breaths mingling, hands clinging and pulling, bodies searching contact and friction on their own volition. Soon they'd be veering towards public indecency, and even though Hiccup didn't _want_ to, he pulled away from her to regain a certain minimum of distance between them.

"We should probably go somewhere else," he gasped hoarsely, fighting the urge to simply not care and keep making out with her like this. "Maybe some bar or club?" Somewhere where they could dance or talk privately, but with people around to keep them on track.

"True," she mused, something of a mischievous smile tugging at her lips. "I'd suggest going back to your flat… but you know the dating rules about no sex on the first date."

More heat rose to his cheeks and pooled in his belly at her words. Not that his thoughts hadn't drifted into _that_ direction already, but her saying it made the idea more real. She was right, not tonight, but someday...

Tearing himself away from that topic, he forced his thoughts to focus on what else she'd said. _First date._ That meant there would be more coming, right? Gods, he hoped so! He'd yearned so long for his best friend. But that wasn't what she was anymore, was it? Not if he interpreted her words right. That thought made a fresh wave of joy bubbled up inside him. They certainly were more than _just friends_ now, right? He wasn't bold enough to call her his girlfriend, not yet, not even in his mind, but surely, eventually–

He was grinning like an idiot at that idea, but her next words threw him off track nonetheless.

"But you know what?" she asked as she pulled him back against her, a fire in her eyes that made him choke. "Screw the rules!"

Epilogue

On Monday, Hiccup still wasn't able to get that stupid grin off his face, not even when he spotted Scott, T, and Justin waiting for him in the cafeteria. He and Astrid had spent the entire weekend together, minus yesterday afternoon where they'd agreed that parting to get their coursework done and generally catching up on life might be the wiser choice.

Not that he would have minded if she'd stayed at his place a little longer. Gods, these two days with her had been _amazing_. Of course, there'd been… _intimacy_. But beyond those mindblowing hours with her in his bed, there'd also been _so much more!_ There's been a lot of talking, about them as a couple but also about ordinary or trivial things, funny things. Laughing with her had never felt so liberating before. They'd ended up watching a film or three after all, cosily cuddled up on his couch, and she'd let him cook for her, something he'd wanted to do for a long time now. They'd even gone to the nearby grocery store, hand in hand, to get the ingredients for her chocolate cake, and preparing the dough and the icing with her constantly pinching bits had been quite a challenge – but one he'd take again every day. And not just because it meant he could kiss icing off her lips more often.

All this had come with an incredible _lightness_. Hiccup had often wondered how their relationship would change in case his daydreaming ever lead to more. But now, he was pleasantly surprised to know that it hadn't changed all that much. Sure, there were the hugs and hands suggestively trailing along exposed skin, there were the kisses, the quick pecks in passing and the deeper ones he completely got lost in, and there were the nights of heat and being one and cuddling afterwards. But all that only seemed to add to the close friendship they'd shared before and didn't push aside the easy bantering or quick exchanges of witty comments. In the end, it was even better than anything he ever could have dreamed of.

Was it even surprising that his happiness couldn't be contained?

"Hey, Hiccup! Where were you on Friday? We were worried when you didn't show up," Justing greeted him, concern clearly written all over his face. Despite his happiness, it made Hiccup feel a little bad; he hadn't wanted to make his friend anxious.

"Hey, yeah, sorry that I didn't get around to text you. I–"

"–had a busy weekend, I'd say," T interrupted him with a smirk and inspected the lovebites Astrid had left on his neck. They were in various states of healing, the earliest ones from Friday already showing green and yellow edges. He'd contemplated covering them with a hoodie or even a scarf, but ultimately decided against it. It wasn't as if his new relationship with Astrid was something he wanted to _hide_. "Odin, did she try to _eat_ you, H?"

Right… thanks to his sister, T probably already knew. Girls apparently really were quicker when it came to gossip.

Justin still looked confused though, even as Scott's eyes widened in disbelief. "Don't tell me… I mean, we all wondered when you_ both_ didn't show up, but…"

He didn't get the chance to continue whatever he'd wanted to say for, in that moment, Astrid appeared between them, seemingly out of no-where.

"Hey, babe," she greeted him before placing a firm kiss to his lips. "I don't have much time – my lecture started about five minutes ago. Just wanted to say good morning and ask whether you've found my bra by now? I really don't understand how it disappeared just like that."

If Hiccup hadn't been sure whether or how much he should tell his friends, those questions had just become irrelevant. Not bothered by the gaping eye on them, Hiccup's hands curled around her slender waist and held her in place just a tiny bit longer to kiss her again before he released her. In passing, she winked at him, a devious little smirk playing around her pretty lips, and he really couldn't help his grin getting wider. "Not yet," he called after her. "You sure it's got to be in the bedroom?"

Her only answer was her cutely chuckling some more before she disappeared behind the next corner.

"Any more questions?" T asked with an equally wide grin on his face.

Justin only stood still, gaping, while Scott gave something of an annoying snort.

"Yeah, right. You're _just friends_. You know I never believed you anyway, right?" Then his expression turned into a grin and he gave Hiccup a friendly clap on the shoulder.

"Was about time, man!"

**. o O o .**

**I hope it wasn't completely horrible... 😪**

**And I said I'd say something about what inspired this story, so... The lyrics that started all this are from _7 minutes_ by Dean Lewis.**  
**_"And that movie that we missed_**  
**_'Cause we were hanging out in the parking lot"_**


End file.
